Water cannon toy with clean-out connection

ABSTRACT

A water cannon toy includes (a) an outer tube having an open proximal end, an open distal end, an interior and an exterior, (b) an inner tube disposed in slideable, telescoping fashion within the outer tube, the inner tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an interior and an exterior, (c) a plunger disposed at the distal end of the internal tube, the plunger being sized and dimensioned to remain in contact with the outer tube and to substantially prevent the leakage of liquid from the interior of the distal end of the outer tube to the exterior of the distal end of the inner tube, (d) an inner tube retainer attached to the proximal end of the outer tube. The inner tube retainer has (i) a locked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is prevented from exiting the proximal end of the outer tube, and (ii) an unlocked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is free to exit from the proximal end of the outer tube, the inner tube retainer being capable of alternatively transitioning between the locked position and the unlocked position by hand without the need for use of tools.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to toys and, more specifically, to large squirt gun toys, commonly known as “water cannons.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Large squirt guns, commonly known as “water cannons,” have become very popular toys. Water cannons generally comprise a pair of telescoping tubes, the distal end of the innermost tube comprising a plunger. To load the water cannon, one merely submerges the nozzle end under water and draws back the inner tube so as to draw water into the outer tube. To expel water from the water cannon, one slides the outer tube rearwardly over the inner tube. As pressure is thereby developed in the outer tube, water is expelled through the nozzle end of the outer tube.

A problem with such water cannons arises because the water cannon tends to accumulate dirt within the tubes. Such sand and dirt can quickly erode the components of the water cannon, causing it to fail.

Most prior art water cannons have no ability to clean sand and dirt from the interior components of the water cannon. Attempts have been made, however, to allow for the cleaning of water cannon components by allowing the inner tube to slip out of the outer tube. Problems arise from such a configuration, however, in that the inner tube often becomes separated from the outer tube during normal operation—when water is being drawn into the outer tube.

Accordingly, there is a need for a water cannon toy which avoids the aforementioned problems in the prior art.

SUMMARY

The invention satisfies this need. The invention is a water cannon toy comprising (a) an outer tube having an open proximal end, an open distal end, an interior and an exterior, (b) an inner tube disposed in slideable, telescoping fashion within the outer tube, the inner tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an interior and an exterior, (c) a plunger disposed at the distal end of the inner tube, the plunger being sized and dimensioned to remain in contact with the outer tube and to substantially prevent the leakage of liquid from the interior of the distal end of the outer tube to the exterior of the distal end of the inner tube, (d) an inner tube retainer attached to the proximal end of the outer tube. The inner tube retainer has (i) a locked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is prevented from exiting the proximal end of the outer tube, and (ii) an unlocked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is free to exit from the proximal end of the outer tube, the inner tube retainer being capable of alternatively transitioning between the locked position and the unlocked position by hand without the need for use of tools.

In a typical embodiment of the invention, the inner tube retainer is provided by a threaded cap having a central opening with a diameter greater than the outside diameter of the inner tube, but less than the outside diameter of the plunger.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a water cannon toy having features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the water cannon toy illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded side view of the water cannon toy illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the water cannon toy of FIG. 1 showing how water is loaded into the water cannon toy;

FIG. 5 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the water cannon toy illustrated in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the water cannon toy illustrated in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well.

The invention is a water cannon toy 10 comprising an outer tube 12, and inner tube 14, a plunger 16 and an inner tube retainer 18. A typical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-6.

The outer tube 12 typically has a circular cross section with a diameter between about______inches and about______inches. The outer tube 12 has an open proximal end 20, an open distal end 22, an interior and an exterior.

A nozzle 23 is disposed across the open distal end 22 of the outer tube 12.

The inner tube 14 is disposed in slidable, telescoping fashion within the outer tube 12. The inner tube 14 also typically has a circular cross section. The outside diameter of the inner tube 14 is only slightly less than the inside diameter of the outer tube 12, so that the inner tube 14 fits snugly but slidably within the outer tube 12. The inner tube 14 has a proximal end 24, a distal end 26, an interior and an exterior.

The plunger 16 is disposed at the distal end 26 of the inner tube 14. The plunger 16 is sized and dimensioned to remain in contact with the outer tube 12 and to substantially prevent the leakage of liquid from the interior of the distal end 22 of the outer tube 12 to the exterior of the distal end 26 of the inner tube 14.

Typically, a grease or other suitable soft sealant is applied to the plunger 16 to assist the plunger 16 in preventing the leakage of liquid from the interior of the distal end 22 of the outer tube 12 to the exterior of the distal end 26 of the inner tube 14.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the plunger 16 further includes an O-ring seal 28 disposed around the exterior of the inner tube 14.

It is also typical that the water cannon 10 of the invention further comprises a handle 30 attached to the proximal end 24 of the inner tube 14.

The inner tube retainer 18 is attached to the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12. The inner tube retainer 18 has (i) a lock position wherein the distal end 26 of the inner tube 14 is prevented from existing the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12, and (ii) an unlock position wherein the distal end 26 of the inner tube 14 is free to exit from the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12. The inner tube 14 is adapted so as to be capable of alternatively transitioning between the locked position and the unlocked position by hand without the need for use of tools, such as wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, allen wrenches, etc.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the inner tube retainer 18 is provided by a cap 32 which is threaded to the outer tube 12. The threaded cap 32 has a central opening 34 with a diameter which is greater than the outside diameter of the inner tube 14 and less than the outside diameter of the plunger 16. By this design, it can be seen, that the distal end 26 of the inner tube 14 cannot be removed from the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12 unless and until the threaded cap 32 is detached from the outer end of the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the lock position of the inner tube retainer 18 is provided by the cap 32 when it is threaded onto the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12 and the unlock position of the inner tube retainer 18 is provided when the threaded cap 32 is detached from the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12.

Virtually all of the components of the water cannon 10 of the invention are made from inexpensive plastic material such as PVC, ABS and polypropylene. Such plastic materials are light weight and inexpensive to manufacture, and are also not degraded by frequent exposure to water. Components made from aluminum and steel can also be used in the invention.

In operation the inner tube 14 is disposed in telescopic fashion within the outer tube 12, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, and the inner tube retainer 18 is placed in the locked position. Thereafter, the user of the invention loads water into the distal end 22 of the outer tube 12, as illustrated in FIG. 4, by drawing rearwardly on the inner tube 14, thus drawing water back into the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12. Because of the continuous contact between the plunger 16 disposed at the distal end 26 of the inner tube 14 and the interior of the outer tube 12, the drawing backwards of the inner tube 14 causes a sufficient vacuum within the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12 to draw water back into the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12.

After water is loaded into the proximal end 20 of the outer tube 12, the user can freely discharge water from the distal end 22 of the outer tube 12 by pushing the inner tube 14 forwardly such that the plunger 16 is moved towards the distal end 22 of the outer tube 12. Because the plunger 16 substantially prevents leakage of liquid from the interior of the distal end 22 of the outer tube 12 to the exterior of the distal end 26 of the inner tube 14, the pushing forward of the plunger 16 forces water out of the nozzle 23 at the distal end 22 of the outer tube 12.

After frequent uses of the invention, when sand, dirt or other contaminants has fouled the interior components of the water cannon 10, the user can quickly and conveniently clean out the components, as illustrated in FIG. 3, by placing the inner tube 14 container into the unlocked position, removing the inner tube 14 from the outer tube 12, cleaning both the exterior of the inner tube 14 and the interior of the outer tube 12, replacing the inner tube 14 back into the outer tube 12 and moving the inner tube retainer 18 back into the locked position

Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims. 

1. A water cannon toy comprising: (a) an outer tube having an open proximal end, an open distal end, an interior and an exterior; (b) an inner tube disposed in slideable, telescoping fashion within the outer tube, the inner tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an interior and an exterior; (c) a plunger disposed at the distal end of the inner tube, the plunger being sized and dimensioned to remain in contact with the outer tube and to substantially prevent the leakage of liquid from the interior of the distal end of the outer tube to the exterior of the distal end of the inner tube; and (d) an inner tube retainer attached to the proximal end of the outer tube, the inner tube retainer having (i) a locked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is prevented from exiting the proximal end of the outer tube, and (ii) an unlocked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is free to exit from the proximal end of the outer tube, the inner tube retainer being capable of alternatively transitioning between the locked position and the unlocked position by hand without the need for use of tools.
 2. The water cannon toy of claim 1 further comprising a nozzle disposed across the open distal end of the outer tube.
 3. The water cannon toy of claim 1 further comprising a handle attached to the proximal end of the inner tube.
 4. The water cannon toy of claim 1 wherein the plunger includes an O-ring seal.
 5. The water cannon toy of claim 1 wherein the inner tube retainer is threaded to the outer tube.
 6. The water cannon toy of claim 5 wherein the inner tube has an outside diameter and the plunger has an outside diameter, the inner tube retainer being a threaded cap having a central opening with a diameter which is greater than the outside diameter of the inner tube and less than the outside diameter of the plunger.
 7. A water cannon toy comprising: (a) an outer tube having an open proximal end, an open distal end, an interior and an exterior; (b) an inner tube disposed in slideable, telescoping fashion within the outer tube, the inner tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an interior and an exterior; (c) a plunger disposed at the distal end of the inner tube, the plunger being sized and dimensioned to remain in contact with the outer tube and to substantially prevent the leakage of liquid from the interior of the distal end of the outer tube to the exterior of the distal end of the inner tube; (d) a nozzle disposed across the open distal end of the outer tube; (e) a handle attached to the proximal end of the inner tube; and (f) an inner tube retainer attached to the proximal end of the outer tube, the inner tube retainer having (i) a locked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is prevented from exiting the proximal end of the outer tube, and (ii) an unlocked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is free to exit from the proximal end of the outer tube, the inner tube retainer being capable of alternatively transitioning between the locked position and the unlocked position by hand without the need for use of tools.
 8. The water cannon toy of claim 7 wherein the plunger includes an O-ring seal.
 9. The water cannon toy of claim 7 wherein the inner tube retainer is threaded to the outer tube.
 10. A water cannon toy comprising: (a) an outer tube having an open proximal end, an open distal end, an interior and an exterior; (b) an inner tube disposed in slideable, telescoping fashion within the outer tube, the inner tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an interior and an exterior; (c) a plunger disposed at the distal end of the internal tube, the plunger being sized and dimensioned to remain in contact with the outer tube and to substantially prevent the leakage of liquid from the interior of the distal end of the outer tube to the exterior of the distal end of the inner tube; (d) a nozzle disposed across the open distal end of the outer tube; (e) a handle attached to the proximal end of the inner tube; and (f) an inner tube retainer attached to the proximal end of the outer tube, the inner tube retainer having (i) a locked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is prevented from exiting the proximal end of the outer tube, and (ii) an unlocked position wherein the distal end of the inner tube is free to exit from the proximal end of the outer tube, the inner tube retainer being capable of alternatively transitioning between the locked position and the unlocked position by hand without the need for use of tools.
 11. The water cannon toy of claim 10 wherein the plunger includes an O-ring seal. 